COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES PERSONNEL

• US 20160173610A1
• Filed: 02/08/2016
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scott Technologies, Inc. (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: Scott Technologies, Inc. (3M Company)
• Inventors: Parkulo, Craig M., Barbee, Wesley McChord, Malin, Jerald Robert, Landis, Jeffrey Lynn, Shannon, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 10,536,528 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/16 Security signalling or alarm systems, e.g. redundant systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A personal multimedia communication system and network for emergency services personnel includes a plurality of personal communication systems linked together and to a base station in a network. Each personal communication system includes a PDA device mounted on a PASS control console, a video camera mounted on the PDA device, a GPS unit, a microphone, and other electronic devices. The various electronic devices are all communicatively connected to the PDA device. Data from the various devices may be collected in the PDA device and wirelessly transmitted to any other node or device in the network, including other personal communication devices. Each personal communication device may serve as a repeater, thus providing a wireless communications link between a device located out of range of the base station.

Claims

1. A personal communication system for use by a firefighter in a hazardous environment, comprising:

a PASS system, the PASS system including a PASS unit to be carried directly on a firefighter'"'"'s backpack and a PASS control console to be hung from the backpack, the PASS control console being connected to the PASS unit by at least a communications interface; and

a PDA device, releasably mounted on the PASS control console and electrically connected to the PASS control such that data from the PASS unit may be transmitted to the PDA device via the PASS control console.

2. The personal communication system of claim 1, further comprising a video camera releasably mounted on the PDA device and electrically connected to the PDA device such that video data from the video camera may be transmitted to the PDA device.

3. The personal communication system of claim 2, wherein the video camera is a thermal imaging camera.

4. A personal communication system for use by a firelighter in a hazardous environment, comprising:

a support apparatus to be worn by a firefighter in a hazardous environment;

a first onboard data source carried by the support apparatus;

a second onboard data source carried by the support apparatus; and

a PDA device communicatively connected to both the first onboard data source and the second onboard data source.

5. The personal communication system of claim 4, wherein the first onboard data source is a PASS system.

6. The personal communication system of claim 5, wherein the PDA device includes a display adapted to display data from both the first onboard data source and the second onboard data source.

7. The personal communication system of claim 5, wherein the PDA device includes a wireless transmitter adapted to transmit data from both the first onboard data source and the second onboard data source.

8. The personal communication system of claim 5, wherein the second onboard data source is a video camera.

9. The personal communication system of claim 5, wherein the second onboard data source is a GPS device.

10. The personal communication system of claim 5, wherein the second onboard data source is a biometric sensor.

11. The personal communication system of claim 10, wherein the biometric sensor is a sensor for measuring the body temperature of the firefighter.

12. The personal communication system of claim 10, wherein the biometric sensor is a sensor for measuring the pulse rate of the firefighter.

13. The personal communication system of claim 10, wherein the biometric sensor is a sensor for measuring the CQ2 level of the firefighter.

14. The personal communication system of claim 5, wherein the second onboard data source is an environmental sensor.

15. The personal communication system of claim 14, wherein the environmental sensor is an environmental temperature sensor.

16. The personal communication system of claim 14, wherein the environmental sensor is gas sensor.

17. A communications network for emergency personnel, comprising:

a plurality of personal communication systems, each carried by a firefighter in a hazardous environment, wherein each personal communication system including a PDA device connected to at least one onboard data gathering device carried by the firefighter and having a wireless transceiver, and wherein each personal communication system is adapted to send and receive signals from at least some of the other personal communication systems; and

a base station adapted to send and receive wireless signals from at least some of the personal communication systems.

18. The communications network of claim 17, wherein the at least one onboard data gathering device in each personal communication system includes a PASS system.

19. The communications network of claim 17, wherein the at least one onboard data gathering device in each personal communication system includes a video camera.

20. The communications network of claim 19, wherein the video camera in each personal communication system is a thermal imaging camera.